System, Method, and Article of Manufacture to Iteratively Update an Image Displayed Over a Lock Screen to Provide a Continuous Glimpse Into an Application Running in the Background of the Mobile Device That is in a Screen Locked State

ABSTRACT

An application miming in the foreground of the mobile device is run in the background when the mobile device enters a screen locked state. A display may be activated while the mobile device remains in the screen locked state, and an image is rendered over a lock screen of the mobile device, where the image providing a glimpse into the application running in the background while the mobile device remains in the screen locked state. The image displayed over the lock screen is iteratively updated to provide a continuous glimpse into the application running in the background of the mobile device that is in the screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/012,759 filed Jun. 19, 2018, pending; which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/912,453 filed Mar. 5, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat.No. 10,015,301; which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/280,555 filed May 16, 2014, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,912,795.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to mobile devices. Morespecifically, the present invention is related to a system, method, andarticle of manufacture to iteratively update an image displayed over alock screen to provide a continuous glimpse into an application runningin the background of the mobile device that is in a screen locked state.

Discussion of Related Art

Current generation mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, smartphones, etc.) have a home screen wallpaper and a lock screen wallpaper,where the lock screen wallpaper is rendered as the background of themobile device that is in a screen locked state, should the display beactivated by a user input, for example. These wall papers are staticimages that are either set by the manufacturer or may be set by the userof such a device. However, the prior art is silent on how to leveragethe lock screen wallpaper to display information that is pertinent tothe user of the mobile device.

Embodiments of the present invention are an improvement over prior artsystems and methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device capable of running applications in a foreground or in abackground, the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising: (a) computer readable program code running an application inthe foreground of the mobile device; (b) computer readable program codeplacing the mobile device in a screen locked state and running theapplication in the background of the mobile device; (c) computerreadable program code activating a display of the mobile device whilethe mobile device remains in the screen locked state; (d) computerreadable program code rendering an image over a lock screen of themobile device, the image providing a glimpse into the applicationrunning in the background while the mobile device remains in the screenlocked state; and (e) computer readable program code iterativelyupdating the image over the lock screen wallpaper and providing acontinuous glimpse into the application running in the background of themobile device that is in the screen locked state, without having tounlock the mobile device.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method asimplemented in a mobile device capable of running applications in aforeground or in a background, the method comprising: (a) running anapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) placing themobile device in a screen locked state and running the application inthe background of the mobile device; (c) activating a display of themobile device while the mobile device remains in the screen lockedstate; (d) rendering an image over a lock screen of the mobile device,the image providing a glimpse into the application running in thebackground while the mobile device remains in the screen locked state;and (e) iteratively updating the image over the lock screen wallpaperand providing a continuous glimpse into the application running in thebackground of the mobile device that is in the screen locked state,without having to unlock the mobile device.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a mobiledevice comprising: a processor; a display; storage storing computerreadable programmable code, which when executed by the processorimplements a method as implemented in the mobile device capable ofrunning applications in a foreground or in a background, the storagecomprising computer readable program code to: (a) run an application inthe foreground of the mobile device; (b) place the mobile device in ascreen locked state and running the application in the background of themobile device; (c) activate a display of the mobile device while themobile device remains in the screen locked state; (d) render an imageover a lock screen of the mobile device, the image providing a glimpseinto the application running in the background while the mobile deviceremains in the screen locked state; and (e) iteratively update the imageover the lock screen wallpaper and provide a continuous glimpse into theapplication running in the background of the mobile device that is inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device.

In one embodiment, the present invention provided an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device capable of running applications in a foreground or in abackground, the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising: (a) computer readable program code running a firstapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) computerreadable program code running a second application in the foreground ofthe mobile device and running the first application in the background ofthe mobile device; (c) computer readable program code placing the mobiledevice in a screen locked state and running the first and secondapplications in the background of the mobile device; (d) computerreadable program code activating a display of the mobile device whilethe mobile device remains in the screen locked state; (e) computerreadable program code rendering an image over a lock screen of themobile device, the image providing a glimpse into the first applicationrunning in the background while the mobile device remains in the screenlocked state; and (f) computer readable program code iterativelyupdating the image over the lock screen wallpaper and providing, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device, a continuous glimpse into the firstapplication running in the background of the mobile device that is inthe screen locked state, even though the first application was not lastrun application.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method asimplemented in a mobile device capable of running applications in aforeground or in a background, the method comprising: (a) running afirst application in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) running asecond application in the foreground of the mobile device and runningthe first application in the background of the mobile device; (c)placing the mobile device in a screen locked state and running the firstand second applications in the background of the mobile device; (d)activating a display of the mobile device while the mobile deviceremains in the screen locked state; (e) rendering an image over a lockscreen of the mobile device, the image providing a glimpse into thefirst application running in the background while the mobile deviceremains in the screen locked state; and (f) iteratively updating theimage over the lock screen wallpaper and providing, without having tounlock the mobile device, a continuous glimpse into the firstapplication running in the background of the mobile device that is inthe screen locked state, even though the first application was not lastrun application.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a mobiledevice comprising: a processor; a display; storage storing computerreadable programmable code, which when executed by the processorimplements a method as implemented in the mobile device capable ofrunning applications in a foreground or in a background, the storagecomprising computer readable program code to: (a) run a firstapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) run a secondapplication in the foreground of the mobile device and run the firstapplication in the background of the mobile device; (c) place the mobiledevice in a screen locked state and run the first and secondapplications in the background of the mobile device; (d) activate adisplay of the mobile device while the mobile device remains in thescreen locked state; (e) render an image over a lock screen of themobile device, the image providing a glimpse into the first applicationrunning in the background while the mobile device remains in the screenlocked state; and (f) iteratively update the image over the lock screenwallpaper and provide, without having to unlock the mobile device, acontinuous glimpse into the first application running in the backgroundof the mobile device that is in the screen locked state, even though thefirst application was not last run application.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device capable of running applications in a foreground or in abackground, the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising: (a) computer readable program code running a navigationapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) computerreadable program code running another application in the foreground ofthe mobile device and miming the navigation application in thebackground of the mobile device; (c) computer readable program codeplacing the mobile device in a screen locked state and running thenavigation application and the another application in the background ofthe mobile device; (d) computer readable program code activating adisplay of the mobile device while the mobile device remains in thescreen locked state; (e) computer readable program code rendering animage over a lock screen of the mobile device, the image providing aglimpse into the navigation application running in the background whilethe mobile device remains in the screen locked state; and (f) computerreadable program code iteratively updating the image over the lockscreen wallpaper and providing, without having to unlock the mobiledevice, a continuous glimpse into the navigation application running inthe background of the mobile device that is in the screen locked state,even though the navigation application was not last run application.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method asimplemented in a mobile device capable of running applications in aforeground or in a background, the method comprising: (a) running anavigation application in the foreground of the mobile device; (b)running another application in the foreground of the mobile device andrunning the navigation application in the background of the mobiledevice; (c) placing the mobile device in a screen locked state andrunning the navigation application and the another application in thebackground of the mobile device; (d) activating a display of the mobiledevice while the mobile device remains in the screen locked state; (e)rendering an image over a lock screen of the mobile device, the imageproviding a glimpse into the navigation application running in thebackground while the mobile device remains in the screen locked state;and (f) iteratively updating the image over the lock screen wallpaperand providing, without having to unlock the mobile device, a continuousglimpse into the navigation application running in the background of themobile device that is in the screen locked state, even though thenavigation application was not last run application.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a mobiledevice comprising: a processor; a display; storage storing computerreadable programmable code, which when executed by the processorimplements a method as implemented in the mobile device capable ofrunning applications in a foreground or in a background, the storagecomprising computer readable program code to: (a) run a navigationapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) run anotherapplication in the foreground of the mobile device and run thenavigation application in the background of the mobile device; (c) placethe mobile device in a screen locked state and run the navigationapplication and the another application in the background of the mobiledevice; (d) activate a display of the mobile device while the mobiledevice remains in the screen locked state; (e) render an image over alock screen of the mobile device, the image providing a glimpse into thenavigation application running in the background while the mobile deviceremains in the screen locked state; and (f) iteratively update the imageover the lock screen wallpaper and provide, without having to unlock themobile device, a continuous glimpse into the navigation applicationrunning in the background of the mobile device that is in the screenlocked state, even though the navigation application was not last runapplication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a non-limiting example of a display of a mobile deviceshowing various application icons.

FIG. 2 depicts a non-limiting example of a screen locked phone.

FIG. 3 depicts of a non-limiting example of what is rendered on thedisplay of a mobile device when an application for taking electronicnotes is active in the foreground of the mobile device.

FIG. 4 shows one example implementation where the lock screen wallpaperis replaced with a screen dump or a screenshot of the notes application.

FIG. 5 illustrates another implementation with a scaled screen dump orscreenshot of the notes application.

FIG. 6 depicts a non-limiting example of what is rendered on the displayof a mobile device when a navigation application is active in theforeground of the mobile device.

FIG. 7 shows another example implementation where the lock screenwallpaper is replaced with a screen dump or a screenshot of thenavigation application.

FIG. 8 illustrates another implementation with a scaled screen dump orscreenshot of the navigation application.

FIG. 9 depicts one embodiment where the lock screen wallpaper of amobile device is replaced with an application screen dump of a runningapplication.

FIG. 10 depicts another embodiment where an application screen dump isgenerated just prior to the mobile device being placed in a screenlocked state.

FIG. 11 depicts another embodiment where generated application screendump is of an application that is not the last run application.

FIG. 12 depicts another embodiment where an application screen dump isgenerated just prior to the mobile device being placed in a screenlocked state where the application is not the last run application.

FIG. 13 depicts another embodiment where the lock screen wallpaper of amobile device is replaced with an application screen dump of a mimingapplication based on a profile.

FIG. 14 depicts another embodiment where the lock screen wallpaper of amobile device is replaced with an application screen dump of a runningapplication based on a profile, where the application screen dump isgenerated just prior to the mobile device being placed in a screenlocked state.

FIG. 15 depicts another embodiment where application screen dumps of atleast two applications are used to update the lock screen wallpaper.

FIG. 16 depicts another embodiment where application screen dumps of atleast two applications are used to update the lock screen wallpaperwhere the application screen dumps are generated just prior to themobile device being placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 17 depicts another embodiment where a portion of an applicationscreen dump is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of the mobiledevice.

FIG. 18 depicts another embodiment where a portion of an applicationscreen dump is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of the mobiledevice where the application screen dump is generated just prior to themobile device being placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 19 depicts another embodiment where a collage is used to update thelock screen wallpaper of a mobile device.

FIG. 20 depicts another embodiment where a collage is used to update thelock screen wallpaper of a mobile device and where the applicationscreen dumps used in generating the collage are generated just prior tothe mobile device being placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 21 depicts another embodiment where a single superimposed image isused to update the lock screen wallpaper.

FIG. 22 depicts another embodiment where a single superimposed image isused to update the lock screen wallpaper and where the applicationscreen dumps used in generating the superimposed image are generatedjust prior to the mobile device being placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 23 depicts another embodiment where a profile used to generate anapplication screen dump and where a verification is made as to whetherthe application identified in the profile is running in the backgroundon a mobile device.

FIG. 24 depicts another embodiment where a profile used to generate anapplication screen dump and where a verification is made as to whetherthe application identified in the profile is running in the backgroundon a mobile device, with the application screen dump generated justprior to the mobile device is placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 25 depicts another embodiment where a profile used to generate anapplication screen dump where the application is not the last runapplication.

FIG. 26 depicts another embodiment where a profile used to generate anapplication screen dump where the application is not the last runapplication and the application screen dump is generated just prior tothe mobile device being placed in a screen locked state.

FIG. 27 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a notesapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 28 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a notesapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice and where the screenshot is generated just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in a locked state.

FIG. 29 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of an emailapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 30 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of an emailapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice and where the screenshot is generated just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in a locked state.

FIG. 31 depicts another embodiment where an image attachment of the lastread email is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 32 depicts another embodiment where an image attachment of the lastread email is identified prior to entering a locked state, with theimage attachment used to replace the lock screen wallpaper.

FIG. 33 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a social mediaapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 34 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a social mediaapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice and where the screenshot is generated just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in a locked state.

FIG. 35 depicts another embodiment where an image that is a primaryfocus in a social media application is used to replace a lock screenwallpaper of a mobile device.

FIG. 36 depicts another embodiment where an image that is a primaryfocus in a social media application is identified, prior to a mobiledevice entering a locked state, and is used to replace a lock screenwallpaper of a mobile device.

FIG. 37 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a browserapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 38 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a browserapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice and where the screenshot is generated just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in a locked state.

FIG. 39 depicts another embodiment where an image that is a primaryfocus in a browser application is used to replace a lock screenwallpaper of a mobile device.

FIG. 40 depicts another embodiment where an image that is a primaryfocus in a browser application is identified, prior to a mobile deviceentering a locked state, and is used to replace a lock screen wallpaperof a mobile device.

FIG. 41 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a navigationapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice.

FIG. 42 depicts another embodiment where a screenshot of a navigationapplication is used to replace the lock screen wallpaper of a mobiledevice and where the screenshot is generated just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in a locked state.

FIG. 43 depicts another embodiment where a portion of an applicationscreen dump of a navigation application is used to replace the lockscreen wallpaper of a mobile device.

FIG. 44 depicts another embodiment where a portion of an applicationscreen dump of a navigation application is used to replace the lockscreen wallpaper of a mobile device and where the application screendump is generated just prior to the mobile device being placed in alocked state.

FIG. 45 depicts another embodiment where a first and second navigationalimage are used as lock screen wallpapers at a first and second GPSlocation.

FIG. 46 depicts another embodiment where a navigation image receivedover a communication link is used as the lock screen wallpaper.

FIG. 47 depicts another embodiment where navigation images received overa communication link are used as lock screen wallpapers at differentlocations.

FIG. 48 depicts another embodiment where at least a first and secondimage are used as lock screen wallpapers while a mobile device is withina first and second pre-determined radius of a first and second GPSlocation, respectively.

FIGS. 49A-B depict another embodiment where at least a first and secondimage are used as lock screen wallpapers while a mobile device is withina first and second pre-determined radius of a first and second GPSlocation, respectively, where the first and second pre-determinedradiuses do not overlap.

FIGS. 50A-B depict another embodiment where at least a first and secondreceived images are used as lock screen wallpapers while a mobile deviceis within a first and second pre-determined radius of a given GPSlocation, where the second pre-determined radius is within the firstpre-determined radius.

FIGS. 51A-B depict another embodiment where at least a first and secondaccessed images are used as lock screen wallpapers while a mobile deviceis within a first and second pre-determined radius of a given GPSlocation, where the second pre-determined radius is within the firstpre-determined radius.

FIGS. 52A-B depict another embodiment where a third image, formed bysuperimposing and varying transparency of a first accessed image and asecond accessed image, is used as a lock screen wallpaper while a mobiledevice is within an overlapping region formed by a first pre-determinedradius and a second pre-determined radius associated with first andsecond GPS locations, respectively.

FIGS. 53A-B depict another embodiment where a third image, formed bysuperimposing and varying transparency of a first received image and asecond received image, is used as a lock screen wallpaper while a mobiledevice is within an overlapping region formed by a first pre-determinedradius and a second pre-determined radius associated with first andsecond GPS locations, respectively.

FIG. 54 depicts an exemplary system including a general-purposecomputing device used to practice various methods described in FIG. 9through FIGS. 53A-B.

FIGS. 55A-C depict how transparency may be manipulated in the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While this invention is illustrated and described in a preferredembodiment, the invention may be produced in many differentconfigurations. There is depicted in the drawings, and will herein bedescribed in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention, with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the principles of the invention and the associatedfunctional specifications for its construction and is not intended tolimit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. Those skilled in theart will envision many other possible variations within the scope of thepresent invention.

Current generation mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, smartphones, etc.) have a home screen wallpaper and a lock screen wallpaper,where the lock screen wallpaper is rendered as the background of themobile device that is in a screen locked state, should the display beactivated by a user input, for example. The present invention makes thelock screen wallpaper dynamically replaceable so that various data ofinterest may be rendered as the lock screen wallpaper, where a user isable to review such data of interest without unlocking the mobiledevice. The lock screen wallpaper may be temporarily replaced so thatthe user of the mobile device in such a screen lock state can activatejust the display and, without unlocking the mobile device, reviewinformation that has now been rendered as the lock screen wallpaper.This is a simple and efficient process, as the screen of the mobiledevice is temporarily leased, in a sense, to render the necessaryinformation as the lock screen wallpaper image (without the need ofanother application that is to be run on top of the lock screenwallpaper to render such information), where after the expiration of abrief time-period (just a few seconds, for example), the default lockscreen wallpaper may be reinstated (for example, in the instance wherethe user has picked a default lock screen wallpaper picked as part ofhis/her profile, the present invention may return the lock screenwallpaper image to this default).

In the prior art, when the display of a mobile device times out due to,for example, a lack of inputs from a user, the mobile device enters ascreen locked state, whereby the user would have to unlock the screen ofmobile device by, for example, sliding a unlock bar (and in someinstances, may also have to enter a passcode or other authenticationmeans prior to device being unlocked), in order to look at anapplication that is either the last run application (i.e., the lastapplication that was running prior to the mobile device entering thescreen lock state) or another application that is running in thebackground of the mobile device. In one aspect, the present inventionaids the user by allowing him/her to glimpse at the application that waslast miming prior to entering the screen locked state or any applicationthat is running in the background of a mobile device in the screenlocked state by rendering a screen dump or screenshot of the application(or a portion of a screen dump or screenshot of the application) as thelock screen wallpaper.

FIG. 1 depicts a non-limiting example of a display of a mobile deviceshowing various application icons 102 through 130. FIG. 2 depicts anon-limiting example of a screen locked phone (screen locked, forexample, after the expiration of a time period, within which no userinput, such as touch input, was received). The display shown in FIG. 2denotes a default lock screen wallpaper rendered as part of the lockscreen, where the default lock screen was either previously set by themanufacturer of the mobile device or was previously set by the user ofthe mobile device. FIG. 3 depicts of a non-limiting example of what isrendered on the display of a mobile device when an application fortaking electronic notes is active in the foreground of the mobiledevice. The user may write electronic notes or review electronic notesvia such an application. While this application is active and in theforeground of the mobile device, but the mobile device does not receivea user input (e.g., when the user does not touch the display or when themobile device detects that there is no indication of the user readingthe screen, where the user may be distracted away from the mobiledevice) for a pre-determined time period which is usually a few seconds(but can be programmed to be any length of time), the mobile deviceenters a screen locked state. FIG. 4 shows one example implementation ofthe invention, where either upon entering the screen locked state orjust prior to entering the screen locked state, a screen dump or ascreenshot of the notes application is generated, with the lock screenwallpaper being temporarily replaced with the screen dump of the notesapplication. Now, when the user activates the display while in thescreen locked stated, the display renders what is shown in FIG. 4 (i.e.,instead of the default lock screen wallpaper as shown in FIG. 2, thescreen dump or screen shot of the notes application is shown for a shorttime period (which is adjustable by the user), after which it may bereplaced with the default lock screen wallpaper). While FIG. 4 shows theraw image being used as the lock screen wallpaper, there is an option toscale the screen dump or screenshot so that it is shown withoutobstruction by other graphical items (such as the clock/date informationor the slider for unlocking) on the display. Such an example is shown inFIG. 5.

FIG. 6 depicts another non-limiting example of what is rendered on thedisplay of a mobile device when a navigation application is active inthe foreground of the mobile device. The user may use such a navigationapplication to obtain directions to a destination while traveling. Whilethis navigation application is active and in the foreground of themobile device, and the mobile device does not receive a user input(e.g., when the user does not touch the display or when the mobiledevice detects that there is no indication of the user reading thescreen, where the user may be distracted away from the mobile device)for a pre-determined time period, which is usually a few seconds (butcan be set to be any length of time), the mobile device enters a screenlocked state. FIG. 7 shows one example implementation of the inventionwhere either upon entering the screen locked state or just prior toentering the screen locked state, a screen dump or a screenshot of thenavigation application is generated, where the lock screen wallpaper istemporarily replaced with the screen dump of the navigation application,where when the user activates the display while in the screen lockedstated, the display renders what is shown in FIG. 7 (i.e., instead ofthe default lock screen wallpaper as shown in FIG. 2, the screen dump orscreen shot of the notes application is shown for a short time period(which is adjustable by the user), after which it may be replaced withthe default lock screen wallpaper). While FIG. 7 shows the raw imagebeing used as the lock screen wallpaper, there is an option to scale thescreen dump or screenshot so that it is shown without obstruction byother objects on the display. Such an example is shown in FIG. 8.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the present invention discloses amethod as implemented in a mobile device having a dynamicallyreplaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifyingthe mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 902; generating anapplication screen dump of an application running in the background ofthe mobile device—step 904, where the screen dump represents ascreenshot of the application (or a portion of the screenshot) as if itwere running in foreground of the mobile device (even though it is not)and the application screen dump is generated automatically by the mobiledevice while it is in the screen locked state; replacing the lock screenwallpaper of the mobile device with the generated application screendump of the application running on the mobile device—step 906;activating a display of the mobile device and rendering the applicationscreen dump of the running application as the lock screen wallpaper onthe activated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state—step 908; and wherein the generated application screen dumpused as the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device providing aglimpse into the application running in the background of the mobiledevice in the screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 9.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises receiving aninput, the input triggering the activation of the display of the mobiledevice which remains in the screen locked state. For example, while themobile device is in a screen locked state, the user may depress any ofthe external buttons disposed on the mobile device, whereby the displayis activated while still remaining in the screen locked state.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises updating, afterthe expiration of a pre-determined time period and while the mobiledevice is still in the screen locked state, the lock screen wallpaper byreplacing the application screen dump of the application running in thebackground of the mobile device with a most recent application screendump of the application running on the mobile device, where the mostrecent application screen dump represents an updated screenshot of theapplication as if it were running in foreground of the mobile device(even though it is not). Since the setup simply replaces the lock screenwallpaper with another image, this helps in providing a more up-to-datescreen dump of what the application would have rendered on a display,had the display been active with that application running actively inthe foreground.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises identifying theapplication for which application screen dump is generated as the lastrun application in the mobile device prior to entering the screen lockedstate. This is useful in the instances that the user simply wants tolook at a screenshot of the last run application prior to entering thescreen locked state. For example, if a user was looking at a particularnote in the electronic notes application and the screen timed out andentered a screen locked state, the user does not have to unlock themobile device, as he/she would be able to look at the screen dump ofwhat he/she was last looking at (i.e., the particular note) beingrendered as the lock screen wallpaper.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises picking theapplication for which application screen dump is generated among aplurality of applications that are currently running on the mobiledevice based on accessing a profile identifying at least one applicationfor which such an application screen dump is to be generated in order toprovide a glimpse into the at least one application when it is runningon the mobile device is in the screen locked state. Therefore, a user isable to maintain a profile on the mobile phone (or where the profile isretrievable over a network by the mobile device) where he/she canindicate what application may be used in such a screen dump orscreenshot. For example, if the electronic notes application isindicated as the application which should be used for generating ascreen dump or screenshot, the system may generate a screen dump orscreen shot (as long as it is running in the background) even if it wasnot the last run application in the mobile device prior to entering ascreen locked state.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises scaling thegenerated application screen dump to fit within a viewing area of themobile device excluding at least an area occupied by a displayedunlocking tool. This is done so that the information to be displayed isnot obstructed by the rendered sliding lock or clock/date informationshown in, for example, FIGS. 4-5 and 7-8. This may simply beaccomplished, in one non-limiting example, by scaling the screen dump orscreenshot and centering it on another image (e.g., a flat colorbackground image) that matches the pixel dimensions of the screen of themobile device and generating a single image that fits the screen asshown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, where the information depicted is notobstructed by the slider or the clock/date information.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises unlocking themobile device while the generated application screen dump is rendered asthe lock screen wallpaper and opening the mobile device's display withthe running application even when the running application was not thelast run application on the mobile device. For example, the user may beable to simply tap or double tap the image corresponding to the notesapplication that is rendered as the lock screen wallpaper as shown inFIG. 4 or FIG. 5 to open the display to the notes application,regardless of whether it was the last running application on the mobiledevice. Similarly, the user may be able to simply tap or double tab theimage corresponding to the navigation application that is rendered asthe lock screen wallpaper to open the display to the navigationapplication, regardless of whether it was the last running applicationon the mobile device. Also, it could be made such that when the userslides the unlock bar to unlock the mobile device, it may open directlyinto the application whose screen dump or screenshot was rendered as thelock screen wallpaper. “Tap” and “double taps” are just used asexamples, as other inputs are within the scope of the invention. Thetype of input used should not be used to limit the scope of the presentinvention. Also, it could be made such that when the user slides theunlock bar to unlock the mobile device, it may open directly into theapplication whose screen dump or screenshot was rendered as the lockscreen wallpaper.

In one embodiment, the application (running in the background) for whicha screen dump is generated may be the last run application on the mobiledevice, prior to the mobile device being placed in a screen lockedstate. For example, if the user was viewing a browser application on amobile phone prior to the mobile phone entering a screen locked state(due to a lack of input from the user for a pre-determined amount oftime, such as, but not limited to, 10 or 15 seconds), a screen dump isgenerated of the browser application as if it was running in theforeground of the mobile device (i.e., the screen dump in this caserepresents an image of what would have been rendered on the mobiledevice's display, had the display been active with the browserapplication in the foreground). In one extended embodiment, theapplication (running in the background) for which a screen dump isgenerated is not the last run application on the mobile device prior tothe mobile device being placed in a screen locked state. Rather, itcould be any application that is running in the background, where theapplication for which the screen dump is to be generated is picked froma profile maintained by the user.

Non-limiting examples of the application include any of the following: anotes application, a social media application, a calendar application, abrowser application, a navigation application, a video application, acalculator application, a digital book reader application, a gamingapplication, an email application, a stock market application, or aweather application.

Non-limiting examples of the mobile device include any of the following:a mobile phone, a smartphone, a cellular phone, a portable media player,a tablet, a handheld gaming console, or a personal navigational device.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the present invention disclosesa method as implemented in a mobile device having a dynamicallyreplaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifyingthe mobile device is about to enter a screen locked state—step 1002;generating an application screen dump of an application running on themobile device, the application screen dump generated automatically bythe mobile device just prior to the mobile device being placed in thescreen locked state—step 1004; placing the mobile device in the screenlocked state and replacing the lock screen wallpaper of the mobiledevice with the generated application screen dump of the runningapplication (or replacing it with a portion of the generated applicationscreen dump)—step 1006; activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the application screen dump of the application as the lockscreen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile device whichremains in the screen locked state—step 1008; and wherein theapplication screen dump used as the lock screen wallpaper provides aglimpse into the application running on the mobile device in the screenlocked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 10.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises receiving aninput, the input triggering the activation of the display of the mobiledevice which remains in the screen locked state. For example, while themobile device is in a screen locked state, the user may depress any ofthe external buttons disposed on the phone, whereby the display isactivated while still remaining in the screen locked state.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises updating, afterthe expiration of a pre-determined time period and while the mobiledevice is still in the screen locked state, the lock screen wallpaper byreplacing the application screen dump of the application running on themobile device with a most recent application screen dump of theapplication running on the mobile device, the most recent applicationscreen dump representing an updated screenshot of the application as ifit were running in foreground of the mobile device.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises identifying theapplication for which the screen dump is generated as the last runapplication in the mobile device prior to entering the screen lockedstate. This is useful in the instances that the user simply wants tolook at a screenshot of the last run application prior to entering thescreen locked state. For example, if a user was looking at a particularnote in the electronic notes application and the screen timed out andentered a screen locked state, the user does not have to unlock themobile device, as he/she would be able to look at the screen dump ofwhat he/she was last looking at (i.e., the particular note) beingrendered as the lock screen wallpaper.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises picking theapplication for which application screen dump is generated among aplurality of applications that are currently running on the mobiledevice based on a profile identifying at least one application for whichsuch an application screen dump is to be generated in order to provide aglimpse into the at least one application when it is running on themobile device that is in the screen locked state. Therefore, a user isable to maintain a profile on the mobile phone (or where the profile isretrievable over a network by the mobile device) where he/she canindicate what application may be used in such a screen dump orscreenshot. For example, if the electronic notes application isindicated as the application which should be used for generating ascreen dump or screenshot, the system may generate a screen dump orscreen shot (as long as it is running in the background) even if it wasnot the last run application in the mobile device prior to entering ascreen locked state.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises scaling thegenerated application screen dump of application to fit within a viewingarea of the mobile device excluding at least an area occupied by adisplayed unlocking tool. This is done so that the information to bedisplayed is not obstructed by the rendered sliding lock or clock/dateblocks shown in, for example, FIGS. 4-5 and 7-8. This may simply beaccomplished, in one non-limiting example, by scaling the screen dump orscreenshot and centering it on another image (e.g., a flat color image)that matches the pixel dimensions of the screen of the mobile device andgenerating a single image that fits the screen as shown in FIG. 5 andFIG. 8, where the information depicted is not obstructed by the slideror the clock/date blocks.

In an extended embodiment, the method further comprises unlocking themobile device while the generated application screen dump is rendered asthe lock screen wallpaper and opening the mobile device's display withthe running application even if the running application was not the lastrun application. For example, the user may be able to simply tap ordouble tap the image corresponding to the notes application that isrendered as the lock screen wallpaper as shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 toopen the display to the notes application, regardless of whether it wasthe last running application on the mobile device. Similarly, the usermay be able to simply tap or double tab the image corresponding to thenavigation application that is rendered as the lock screen wallpaper toopen the display to the navigation application, regardless of whether itwas the last running application on the mobile device. “Tap” and “doubletaps” are just used as examples, as other inputs are within the scope ofthe invention. The type of input used should not be used to limit thescope of the present invention. Also, it could be made such that whenthe user slides the unlock bar to unlock the mobile device, it may opendirectly into the application whose screen dump or screenshot wasrendered as the lock screen wallpaper.

Non-limiting examples of the application include any of the following: anotes application, a social media application, a calendar application, abrowser application, a navigation application, a video application, acalculator application, a digital book reader application, a gamingapplication, an email application, a stock market application, or aweather application.

Non-limiting examples of the mobile device include any of the following:a mobile phone, a smartphone, a cellular phone, a portable media player,a tablet, a handheld gaming console, or a personal navigational device.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 11, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 1102;generating an application screen dump of an application running on themobile device, the application screen dump generated automatically bythe mobile device while the mobile device is in the screen locked state,and the application is not the last run application prior to the mobiledevice entering the screen locked state—step 1104; updating the lockscreen wallpaper of the mobile device with the generated applicationscreen dump of application—step 1106; activating a display of the mobiledevice and rendering the application screen dump of the runningapplication as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state—step 1108; andwherein the generated application screen dump used as the lock screenwallpaper of the mobile device providing a glimpse into the runningapplication on the mobile device in the screen locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 11.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 12, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 1202; generating an application screen dump of an applicationrunning on the mobile device, the application screen dump generatedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the screen locked state and the application not the last runapplication prior to the mobile device entering the screen lockedstate—step 1204; placing the mobile device in the screen locked stateand updating the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device with thegenerated application screen dump of application—step 1206; activating adisplay of the mobile device and rendering the application screen dumpof the running application as the lock screen wallpaper on the activateddisplay of the mobile device which remains in the screen lockedstate—step 1208; and wherein the generated application screen dump usedas lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device providing a glimpse intothe running application on the mobile device in the screen locked state,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 12.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 13, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:accessing a profile and identifying at least one application for whichan application screen dump is to be generated while the mobile device isin a screen locked state and while the at least one application isrunning on the mobile device—step 1302; identifying the mobile device isin the screen locked state—step 1304; generating application screen dumpof the identified at least one application running on the mobile device,the application screen dump generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step 1306;updating the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device with thegenerated application screen dump of application—step 1308; activating adisplay of the mobile device and rendering the application screen dumpof the identified at least one application running on the mobile deviceas the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobiledevice which remains in the screen locked state—step 1310; and whereinthe generated application screen dump used as the lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the at least one application identified in theprofile and running on the mobile device in the screen locked state,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 13.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 14, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:accessing a profile and identifying at least one application for whichan application screen dump is to be generated while the mobile device isin a screen locked state and while the at least one application isrunning on the mobile device—step 1402; identifying the mobile device isabout to enter the screen locked state—step 1404; generating anapplication screen dump of the identified at least one applicationrunning on the mobile device, the application screen dump generatedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the screen locked state—step 1406; placing the mobile devicein the screen locked state and updating the lock screen wallpaper of themobile device with the generated application screen dump of theidentified at least one application—step 1408; activating a display ofthe mobile device and rendering the application screen dump of theidentified at least one application running on the mobile device as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 1410; and wherein thegenerated application screen dump used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the at least one application identified in theprofile and running on the mobile device in the screen locked state,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 14.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 15, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 1502;generating application screen dumps of at least a first application anda second application, both applications miming on the mobile device, theapplication screen dumps generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step 1504;updating the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device with thegenerated application screen dump of the first application—step 1506;activating a display of the mobile device and rendering, on theactivated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state, the application screen dump of first application as thelock screen wallpaper and, after a pre-determined time period, updatingthe lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device with the applicationscreen dump of second application and rendering, on the activateddisplay of the mobile device which remains in the screen locked state,the application screen dump of second application as the lock screenwallpaper—step 1508; and wherein the rendered application screen dumpsused as lock screen wallpaper providing successive glimpses into therunning first and second application on the mobile device in the screenlocked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 15. This embodimentallows a user to review a plurality of application screen dumps orscreenshots, one after another, in a successive manner, without havingto unlock the mobile device. Provisions may also be provided where theuser may click on one of the buttons disposed on the phone to update thelock screen wallpaper to that of the application screen dump of thesecond application prior to the expiration of the pre-determined timeperiod.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 16, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 1602; generating application screen dumps of at least a firstapplication and a second application, both applications running on themobile device, the application screen dumps generated automatically bythe mobile device just prior to the mobile device being placed in thescreen locked state—step 1604; placing the mobile device in the screenlocked state and updating the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile devicewith the generated application screen dump of the first application—step1606; activating a display of the mobile device and rendering, on theactivated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state, the application screen dump of the first application asthe lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device and, after apre-determined time period, updating the lock screen wallpaper of themobile device with the application screen dump of second application andrendering, on the activated display of the mobile device which remainsin the screen locked state, the application screen dump of the secondapplication as the lock screen wallpaper—step 1608; and wherein therendered application screen dumps used as lock screen wallpaperproviding successive glimpses into the running first and secondapplications on the mobile device in the screen locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 16. Provisions may also be provided where theuser may click on one of the buttons disposed on the phone to update thelock screen wallpaper to that of the application screen dump of thesecond application prior to the expiration of the pre-determined timeperiod.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 17, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 1702;generating an application screen dump of an application running on themobile device, the application screen dump generated automatically bythe mobile device while the mobile device is in the screen lockedstate—step 1704; replacing the lock screen wallpaper of the mobiledevice with a portion of the application screen dump of application—step1706 (this is useful in instances where only a portion of the screenshotis of interest to the user, so the user may, in advance, indicate theregion of interest within a rendered application (or a profile may beconsulted where an entry is provided indicating the region of interestfor each of a plurality of applications), where only the region ofinterest within the screen dump is used as a replacement of the lockscreen wallpaper); activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the portion of the application screen dump of application asthe lock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 1708; wherein the portionof the application screen dump of application used as lock screenwallpaper providing a glimpse into the running application on the mobiledevice in the screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG.17.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 18, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 1802; generating an application screen dump of an applicationrunning on the mobile device, the application screen dump generatedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the screen locked state—step 1804; placing the mobile devicein the screen locked state and updating the lock screen wallpaper of themobile device with a portion of the generated application screen dump ofapplication—step 1806 (this, as above, is useful in instances where onlya portion of the screenshot is of interest to the user, so the user may,in advance, indicate the region of interest within a renderedapplication (or a profile may be consulted where an entry is providedindicating the region of interest for each of a plurality ofapplications), where only the region of interest within the screen dumpis used as a replacement of the lock screen wallpaper); activating adisplay of the mobile device and rendering the portion of theapplication screen dump of the application as the lock screen wallpaperon the activated display of the mobile device which remains in thescreen locked state—step 1808; and wherein the portion of theapplication screen dump of the application used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the running application on the mobile device inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 18.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 19, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 1902;generating application screen dumps of at least a first application anda second application, both applications running on the mobile device,the application screen dumps generated automatically by the mobiledevice while the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step 1904;generating a collage (i.e., an image made by joining or combining thetwo screen dump images) from the generated application screen dumps ofthe first and second applications running in the mobile device in thescreen locked state—step 1906; updating the lock screen wallpaper of themobile device with the generated collage—step 1908; activating a displayof the mobile device and rendering, on the activated display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state, the collage asthe lock screen wallpaper—step 1910; and wherein the rendered collageused as the lock screen wallpaper providing glimpses into the runningfirst and second application on the mobile device in the screen lockedstate, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 19.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 20, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 2002; generating application screen dumps of at least a firstapplication and a second application, both applications running on themobile device, the application screen dumps generated automatically bythe mobile device just prior to the mobile device being placed in thescreen locked state—step 2004; generating a collage (i.e., an image madeby joining or combining the two screen dump images) from the generatedapplication screen dumps of the first and second applications running inthe mobile device in the screen locked state—step 2006; placing themobile device in the screen locked state and updating the lock screenwallpaper of the mobile device with the generated collage—step 2008;activating a display of the mobile device and rendering, on theactivated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state, the collage as the lock screen wallpaper—step 2010; andwherein the rendered collage used as lock screen wallpaper providingglimpses into the running first and second application on the mobiledevice in the screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG.20.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 21, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 2102;generating application screen dumps of at least a first application anda second application, both applications miming on the mobile device, theapplication screen dumps generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step 2104; varyingtransparency of at least one of the application screen dumps andsuperimposing the resulting application screen dumps to generate asingle superimposed image—step 2106; updating the lock screen wallpaperof the mobile device with the single superimposed image—step 2108;activating a display of the mobile device and rendering, on theactivated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state, the single superimposed image as the lock screenwallpaper—step 2110; and wherein the rendered single superimposed imageused as lock screen wallpaper providing simultaneous glimpses into boththe running first and second application on the mobile device in thescreen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 21.

As described herein, transparency of the screen dumps may be varied,prior to superimposing, should the details of one of the screen dumpsneed to be emphasized more than the other. For example, if informationin the screen dump of the second application needs to be emphasized morethan the information in the screen dump of the first application (e.g.,when a stored profile may indicate the preference of a user, where theuser had previously identified that the details in the screen dump ofthe second application take precedence over the details in the screendump of the first application, so the user may want the preferreddetails shown more clearly in a superposition scenario), thetransparency with the second screen dump image may be controlled (e.g.,by varying the transparency associated with the background of such animage) where the details of the second screen dump image are more opaqueand less transparent with respect to its background, while thetransparency associated with the first screen dump image may be adjustedsuch that its details are less opaque and more transparent with respectto its background, so when the images are superimposed, the details ofthe second image is seen more clearly as it is rendered against a lesstransparent and more opaque background. Similarly, more than two imagesmay be used as well, where the transparency of at least one of theimages may be controlled for preferential viewing of the details of theat least one image. FIGS. 55A-C depict a non-limiting example of howtransparency settings may be manipulated while combining images. FIG.55A depicts image A which is rendered more transparent (set to 100%transparency in this example) by manipulating the image with respect toits background and FIG. 55B depicts image B which is rendered lesstransparent (set to 25% transparent in this example) by similarlymanipulating the image with respect to its background. Such transparencypercentages may be preset by default, for example to about 25% for lesstransparency and at about 100% for more transparency. However, optimaltransparency may be set during run-time using image processingalgorithms that are outside the scope of the present invention. FIG. 55Cdepicts the image formed by superimposing images A and B, which showshow image B is more dominant than A, as image B is less transparent thanimage A. So, a user preferring to see image B over A would havesucceeded via this rendering. It is also envisioned in the variousembodiments described with regards to the transparency aspect, a usermay be able to depress a button on the mobile device to reverse thetransparencies of the two images such that A is now dominant over B(reverse of what is shown in FIG. 55C).

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 22, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 2202; generating application screen dumps of at least a firstapplication and a second application, both applications running on themobile device, the application screen dumps generated automatically bythe mobile device just prior to the mobile device being placed in thescreen locked state—step 2204; varying transparency of at least one ofthe application screen dumps and superimposing the resulting applicationscreen dumps to generate a single superimposed image (see for ExampleFIGS. 55A-C)—step 2206; placing the mobile device in the screen lockedstate and updating the lock screen wallpaper of the mobile device withthe generated single superimposed image—step 2208; activating a displayof the mobile device and rendering, on the activated display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state, the singlesuperimposed image as the lock screen wallpaper—step 2210; and whereinthe rendered single superimposed image used as lock screen wallpaperproviding simultaneous glimpses into both the running first and secondapplication on the mobile device in the screen locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 22.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 23, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having adynamically replaceable lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising:identifying the mobile device is in a screen locked state—step 2302;accessing a profile (which may be stored locally in the mobile device ormay be stored in a network that is accessible by the mobile device) andidentifying the application for which an application screen dump is tobe provided while the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step2304; verifying that the application is running in background on themobile device in the screen locked state—step 2305; generating theapplication screen dump of the application running on the mobile device,the application screen dump generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step 2306;replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with the generatedapplication screen dump of the application miming on the mobiledevice—step 2308; activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the application screen dump of the running application as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 2310; and wherein thegenerated application screen dump used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the running application on the mobile device inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 23.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 24, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifying the mobiledevice is about to enter a screen locked state—step 2402; accessing aprofile (which may be stored locally in the mobile device or may bestored in a network that is accessible by the mobile device) andidentifying an application for which an application screen dump is to beprovided while the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step2404; verifying that the application is running in background on themobile device in the screen locked state—step 2305; generating anapplication screen dump of the application running on the mobile device,the application screen dump generated automatically by the mobile devicejust prior to the mobile device being placed in the screen lockedstate—step 2406; placing the mobile device in the screen locked stateand replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with thegenerated application screen dump of the application running on themobile device—step 2408; activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the application screen dump of the running application as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 2410; and wherein thegenerated application screen dump used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the running application on the mobile device inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 24.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 25, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifying the mobiledevice is in a screen locked state—step 2502; accessing a profile (whichmay be stored locally in the mobile device or may be stored in a networkthat is accessible by the mobile device) and identifying an applicationfor which an application screen dump is to be provided while the mobiledevice is in the screen locked state—step 2504; generating anapplication screen dump of the application running on the mobile device,the application screen dump generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state, the applicationnot last run application prior to the mobile device entering the screenlocked state—step 2506; replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated application screen dump of the applicationrunning on the mobile device—step 2508; activating a display of themobile device and rendering the application screen dump of the runningapplication as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state—step 2510; andwherein the generated application screen dump used as lock screenwallpaper providing a glimpse into the running application on the mobiledevice in the screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG.25.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 26, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifying the mobiledevice is about to enter a screen locked state—step 2602; accessing aprofile (which may be stored locally in the mobile device or may bestored in a network that is accessible by the mobile device) andidentifying an application for which an application screen dump is to beprovided while the mobile device is in the screen locked state—step2604; generating an application screen dump of the application runningon the mobile device, the application screen dump generatedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the screen locked state and the application not last runapplication prior to the mobile device entering the screen lockedstate—step 2606; placing the mobile device in the screen locked stateand replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with thegenerated application screen dump of the application running on themobile device—step 2608; activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the application screen dump of the running application as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 2610; and wherein thegenerated application screen dump used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the running application on the mobile device inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 26.

Now, a few more application-specific embodiments are described.

Electronic Notes Application

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 27, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifying the mobiledevice is in a locked state to save power—step 2702; generating ascreenshot of an application for taking notes running on the mobiledevice, the screenshot generated automatically by the mobile devicewhile the mobile device is in the locked state—step 2604; replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the generated screenshot ofthe application for taking notes and leaving the previously set homescreen wallpaper unchanged—step 2706; receiving an input to activate adisplay of the mobile device, but still maintaining the mobile device inthe locked state—step 2608; rendering the screenshot of the runningapplication for taking notes as the lock screen wallpaper on thedisplay—step 2710; and wherein the generated screenshot used as lockscreen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the running application fortaking notes on the mobile device in the locked state, without having tounlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the present inventiondiscloses an article of manufacture having non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising computer readable program codeexecutable by a processor in a mobile device to implement the methoddepicted in FIG. 27.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 28, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper, the method comprising: identifying the mobiledevice is about to enter a locked state to save power—step 2802;generating a screenshot of an application for taking notes running onthe mobile device, the screenshot generated automatically by the mobiledevice just prior to the mobile device being placed in the lockedstate—step 2804; placing the mobile device in the locked state andreplacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with the generatedscreenshot of the application for taking notes and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 2806; receiving aninput to activate a display of the mobile device, but still maintainingthe mobile device in the locked state—step 2808; rendering thescreenshot of the running application for taking notes as the lockscreen wallpaper on the display—step 2810; and wherein the generatedscreenshot used as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into therunning application for taking notes on the mobile device in the lockedstate, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 28.

Email Application

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 29, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 2902; generating a screenshot of an emailapplication running on the mobile device, the screenshot generatedautomatically by the mobile device while the mobile device is in thelocked state—step 2904; replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated screenshot of the email application andleaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 2906;receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, but stillmaintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 2908; renderingthe screenshot of the running email application as the lock screenwallpaper on the display—step 2910; and wherein the generated screenshotused as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the running emailapplication on the mobile device in the locked state, without having tounlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the present inventiondiscloses an article of manufacture having non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising computer readable program codeexecutable by a processor in a mobile device to implement the methoddepicted in FIG. 29.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 30, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 3002; generating a screenshot of anemail application running on the mobile device, the screenshot generatedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the locked state—step 3004; placing the mobile device in thelocked state and replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper withthe generated screenshot of the email application and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3006; receiving aninput to activate a display of the mobile device, but still maintainingthe mobile device in the locked state—step 3008; rendering thescreenshot of the running email application as the lock screen wallpaperon the display—step 3010; and wherein the generated screenshot used aslock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the running emailapplication on the mobile device in the locked state, without having tounlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the present inventiondiscloses an article of manufacture having non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising computer readable program codeexecutable by a processor in a mobile device to implement the methoddepicted in FIG. 30.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 31, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 3102; identifying an image attachmentassociated with a last read email in an email application that isrunning in background in the mobile device, the mobile device running isin a screen locked state—step 3104; automatically extracting the imageattachment—step 3105; replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaperwith the extracted image attachment from the email application andleaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3106;receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, but stillmaintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3108; renderingthe extracted image attachment from the email application running inbackground as the lock screen wallpaper on the display—step 3110; andwherein the extracted image attachment used as lock screen wallpaperproviding a glimpse into the attachment of the last read email, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 31.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 32, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 3202; identifying, prior to entering thelocked state, an image attachment associated with a last read email inan email application that is running in the mobile device—step 3204;extracting the identified image attachment in the email applicationrunning on the mobile device, the image attachment extractedautomatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobile device beingplaced in the locked state—step 3206; placing the mobile device in thelocked state, placing the email application in background, and replacingthe previously set lock screen wallpaper with the extracted imageattachment from the email application and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3208; receiving an input toactivate a display of the mobile device, but still maintaining themobile device in the locked state—step 3210; rendering the extractedimage attachment from the email application as the lock screen wallpaperon the display—step 3212; and wherein the extracted image attachmentused as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the attachment ofthe last read email, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 32.

While this example is used to illustrate a single image attachment, thepresent invention may be used similarly when there are a plurality ofimage attachments, where each of the plurality of attachments may berendered as the lock screen wallpaper in a successive fashion similar towhat was described previously in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16. Similarly, aplurality of image attachments may also be rendered using collage ortransparency techniques as described previously with regards to FIG. 19and FIG. 20 and as shown in FIGS. 55A-C. Also, the user may, as part ofhis/her profile, identify one or more names, one or more emailaddresses, and/or one or more mail domains, whose emails should be usedin such rendering of email attachments, where all other emails are notused in such rendering of email attachments.

Social Media Application

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 33, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 3302; generating a screenshot of a social mediaapplication running on the mobile device, the screenshot generatedautomatically by the mobile device while the mobile device is in thelocked state—step 3304; replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated screenshot of the social media applicationand leaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step3306; receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, butstill maintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3308;rendering the screenshot of the running social media application as thelock screen wallpaper on the display—step 3310; and wherein thegenerated screenshot used as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpseinto the running social media application on the mobile device in thelocked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 33.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 34, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 3402; generating a screenshot of asocial media application running on the mobile device, the screenshotgenerated automatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in the locked state—step 3404; placing the mobiledevice in the locked state and replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated screenshot of the social media applicationand leaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step3406; receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, butstill maintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3408;rendering the screenshot of the running social application as the lockscreen wallpaper on the display—step 3410; and wherein the generatedscreenshot used as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into therunning social media application on the mobile device in the lockedstate, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 34.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 35, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 3502; identifying an image that is a primaryfocus in a social media application that is running in background in themobile device (primary focus as used herein simply refers to the imagein a social feed that the user was viewing on the screen of the mobiledevice), the mobile device running is in a locked state (low powerstate)—step 3504; automatically extracting the image—step 3505;replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with the extractedimage from the social media application and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3506; receiving an input toactivate a display of the mobile device, but still maintaining themobile device in the locked state—step 3508; rendering the extractedimage from the running social media application as the lock screenwallpaper on the display—step 3510; and wherein the extracted image usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the image that is aprimary focus in the social media application running in background,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 35.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 36, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 3602; identifying, prior to entering thelocked state, an image that is a primary focus in a social mediaapplication running in the mobile device—step 3604; extracting theidentified image in the social media application running on the mobiledevice, the image extracted automatically by the mobile device justprior to the mobile device being placed in the locked state—step 3606;placing the mobile device in the locked state, placing the social mediaapplication in background, and replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the extracted image from the social media application andleaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3608;receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, but stillmaintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3610; renderingthe extracted image from the social application as the lock screenwallpaper on the display—step 3612; and wherein the extracted image usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the image that is aprimary focus in the social media application running in background,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 36.

While this example is used to illustrate a single image that is theprimary focus, the present invention may be used similarly when thereare a plurality of images (e.g., when the social media application hasmore than one image that was being viewed by the user prior to themobile device entering the screen locked state or prior to social mediaapplication being pushed to run in the background), where each of theplurality of images may be rendered as the lock screen wallpaper in asuccessive fashion similar to what was described previously in FIG. 15and FIG. 16. Similarly, a plurality of images may also be rendered usingcollage or transparency techniques as described previously with regardsto FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 and as shown in FIGS. 55A-C.

Also, the user may, as part of his/her profile, identify one or morenames or one or more social media handles/usernames, whose images shouldbe used when rendering such images as a lock screen wallpaper (where allother images are ignored and cannot be used as lock screen wallpapers).For example, a user may only want to use his/her child's social feedimages as the lock screen wallpaper, whereby all other images areignored. In this example, if the user was looking at an image fromhis/her child's social media feed on a social media application on themobile device prior to the mobile device entering a screen locked state,such an image can be used as the lock screen wallpaper. The user mayalso define, as part of his/her profile, a minimum number of likes animage should have received prior to being used as the lock screenwallpaper. In this example, if the user was looking at an image inhis/her social media feed on a social media application on the mobiledevice prior to the mobile device entering a screen locked state, suchan image can be used as the lock screen wallpaper only if that imagehas, for example, more than ten likes. Similarly, the user may alsodefine, as part of his/her profile, that only an image within a giventime period, e.g., the last hour, should be used as a lock screenwallpaper image. Similarly, the user may also define, as part of his/herprofile, that only an image that was approved/liked/retweeted/favoriteby another specific user should be used as a lock screen wallpaperimage.

Various combinations of these examples may also be implemented. Forexample, a user may indicate in his/her profile that only when an imagehas more than 20 favorites/likes/retweets, AND when the image was postedin a social media feed of a particular user noted in the profile (e.g.,his/her son, his/her daughter, his/her mother, his/her, AND when theimage was posted within the last 24 hours, is such an image to be usedas the lock screen wallpaper. In this example, only when the image inthe primary focus (i.e., the image the user was looking at prior to themobile device enters the screen lock mode) AND when the image in theprimary focus satisfies the specific condition in the profile (i.e.,image being from the particular user's AND image having more than 20likes/favorites/retweets AND the image posted within the last 24 hours)is it allowed to be used as an image to replace the lock screenwallpaper image.

In another embodiment, the profile could be set up where a social statusof a particular user may be monitored (in the background) atpre-determined intervals for a social status update and an imagerepresenting a screen capture of a social status update associated withthat particular user may be used as the lock screen wallpaper. Forexample, a user may set up his profile such that every time one of hischildren has a new social status update, an image is generated showingthis social status update (e.g., an image depicting this social status)and this image may be temporarily used as the lock screen wallpaper,where the user can activate the display of the mobile device and look atthis social status without having to unlock the mobile device. As above,various rules may also be implemented in the profile. For example, theprofile may be setup where only when the social status update has morethan 20 likes/favorites/retweets AND only when the social status updatewas posted within the last 24 hours is it allowed to be used as an imageto replace the lock screen wallpaper image.

In another embodiment, the profile could be set up where a social statusof a particular user may be monitored (in the background) atpre-determined intervals for an image posted as part of a social statusupdate where the image may be used as the lock screen wallpaper. Forexample, a user may set up his profile such that every time one of hischildren has a new image as part of their social status update, thisimage may be extracted and temporarily used as the lock screenwallpaper, where the user can activate the display of the mobile deviceand look at this image (that was posted as part of a social statusupdate by his/her children) without having to unlock the mobile device.As above, various rules may also be implemented in the profile. Forexample, the profile may be setup where only when the image associatedwith the social status update has more than 20 likes/favorites/retweetsAND only when the social status update was posted within the last 24hours is it allowed to be used as an image to replace the lock screenwallpaper image.

While these examples are used to illustrate single images that are usedas the lock screen wallpaper, the present invention may be usedsimilarly when there are a plurality of images, where each of theplurality of images may be rendered as the lock screen wallpaper in asuccessive fashion similar to what was described previously in FIG. 15and FIG. 16. Similarly, a plurality of images may also be rendered usingcollage or transparency techniques as described previously with regardsto FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 and as shown in FIGS. 55A-C.

Television Application

Another example of how the teachings of the present invention may beutilized involves television. For example, while watching a TV show inreal time, the user may only want to view an important tweet on Twitter®that relates to a TV show. In this example, a tweet (with just text orwith text and/or image) with the most number of retweets, favorites, orcomments is extracted from a hashtag associated with that TV show (e.g.,the most retweeted tweet from #GameofThrones feed) or from within acurrently trending topic that is related to that TV show is identified.This identified tweet is then rendered as the lock screen wallpaperwithin the duration of the show. This process could be dynamicallyupdated at regular intervals, such that the most up-to-date tweet withthe most number of retweets, favorites, or comments may be rendered asthe lock screen wallpaper. As noted above in the social feed example,textual tweets may be converted to an image, which may then be renderedas the lock screen wallpaper. In the instance the mostretweeted/favorite/commented on item in the social media is an image,that image is rendered as the lock screen wallpaper. In a Facebook®scenario, an image or a status that was most liked or commented on byother users with regards to the TV show may be used as the lock screenwallpaper. If the user is not viewing the TV program in real-time (e.g.,when the user is watching it via a DVR after the show is over), there isno need for such dynamic updating and the trending topics are notreviewed (as the show is not viewed in real time). Also, profiles may beused as described with regards to the social feed example to limit thetweet or social status regarding the TV show to only his/her friendsand/or family (and not any one from the general public). For example, auser may define in the profile that only tweets from a subset of friendsin his social circle are to be used to generate the image used toreplace the lock screen wallpaper. Further, the user may indicate in aprofile the name of the TV show he/she is interested in, which is thenused to look up (using, for example, the Internet) when new episodes arebroadcast, so that the mobile device knows when these tweets or socialstatuses related to the TV show may be shown as the lock screenwallpaper. Alternatively, the mobile device may passively monitor audiooutput of the TV (which could be either automatically activated or maybe activated by user input) to identify the TV show (via, for example,audio fingerprinting), extract social statuses/images of interest to theuser, and serve these extracted social statuses/images of interest asthe lock screen wallpaper during the broadcast of the TV show.

Browser Application

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 37, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 3702; generating a screenshot of a browserapplication running on the mobile device, the screenshot generatedautomatically by the mobile device while the mobile device is in thelocked state—step 3704; replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated screenshot of the browser application andleaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3706;receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, but stillmaintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3708; renderingthe screenshot of the running browser application as the lock screenwallpaper on the display—step 3710; and wherein the generated screenshotused as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the runningbrowser application on the mobile device in the locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 37.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 38, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 3802; generating a screenshot of abrowser application running on the mobile device, the screenshotgenerated automatically by the mobile device just prior to the mobiledevice being placed in the locked state—step 3804; placing the mobiledevice in the locked state and replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the generated screenshot of the browser application andleaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 3806;receiving an input to activate a display of the mobile device, but stillmaintaining the mobile device in the locked state—step 3808; renderingthe screenshot of the running browser application as the lock screenwallpaper on the display—step 3810; and wherein the generated screenshotused as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the runningbrowser application on the mobile device in the locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 38.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 39, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a lockedstate to save power—step 3802; identifying a representative image thatis a primary focus in a browser application that is running inbackground in the mobile device, the mobile device running is in alocked state (low power state)—step 3904; automatically extracting therepresentative image—step 3806; replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the extracted representative image from the browserapplication and leaving the previously set home screen wallpaperunchanged—step 3908; receiving an input to activate a display of themobile device, but still maintaining the mobile device in the lockedstate—step 3910; rendering the extracted representative image from therunning browser application as the lock screen wallpaper on thedisplay—step 3912; and wherein the extracted representative image usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the browserapplication running in background, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG.39.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 40, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter alocked state to save power—step 4002; identifying, prior to entering thelocked state, a representative image that is a primary focus in abrowser application running in the mobile device—step 4004; extractingthe identified representative image in the browser application runningon the mobile device, the representative image extracted automaticallyby the mobile device just prior to the mobile device being placed in thelocked state—step 4006; placing the mobile device in the locked state,placing the browser application in background, and replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the extracted representativeimage from the browser application and leaving the previously set homescreen wallpaper unchanged—step 4008; receiving an input to activate adisplay of the mobile device, but still maintaining the mobile device inthe locked state—step 4010; rendering the extracted representative imagefrom the browser application as the lock screen wallpaper on thedisplay—step 4012; and wherein the extracted representative image usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the browserapplication running in background, without having to unlock the mobiledevice. In another embodiment, the present invention discloses anarticle of manufacture having non-transitory computer readable storagemedium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG.40.

The users may store in a profile a list of URLs for which images may beextracted for rendering as a lock screen wallpaper (where only imagesfrom these URLS are allowed to be extracted).

Also, while this example is used to illustrate a single image that isthe primary focus, the present invention may be used similarly whenthere are a plurality of images (e.g., when the browser application hasmore than one image that was being viewed by the user prior to themobile device entering the screen locked state or prior to the browserapplication being pushed to run in the background), where each of theplurality of images may be rendered as the lock screen wallpaper in asuccessive fashion similar to what was described previously in FIG. 15and FIG. 16. Similarly, a plurality of images that are in the primaryfocus may also be rendered using collage or transparency techniques asdescribed previously with regards to FIG. 19 and FIG. 20 and as shown inFIGS. 55A-C.

Navigation Application

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 41, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a screenlocked state—step 4102; generating an application screen dump of anavigation application running on the mobile device, the applicationscreen dump generated automatically by the mobile device while themobile device is in the screen locked state—step 4104; replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the generated applicationscreen dump of navigation application and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4106; activating a display of themobile device and rendering the application screen dump of the runningnavigation application as the lock screen wallpaper on the activateddisplay of the mobile device which remains in the screen lockedstate—step 4108; and wherein the generated application screen dump usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the running navigationapplication on the mobile device in the screen locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 41.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 42, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter ascreen locked state—step 4202; generating an application screen dump ofa navigation application running on the mobile device, the applicationscreen dump generated automatically by the mobile device just prior tothe mobile device being placed in the screen locked state—step 4204;placing the mobile device in the screen locked state and replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the generated applicationscreen dump of navigation application and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4206; activating a display of themobile device and rendering the application screen dump of the runningnavigation application as the lock screen wallpaper on the activateddisplay of the mobile device which remains in the screen lockedstate—step 4208; and wherein the generated application screen dump usedas lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into the running navigationapplication on the mobile device in the screen locked state, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, the presentinvention discloses an article of manufacture having non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium comprising computer readable programcode executable by a processor in a mobile device to implement themethod depicted in FIG. 42.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 43, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a screenlocked state—step 4302; generating an application screen dump of anavigation application running on the mobile device, the applicationscreen dump generated automatically by the mobile device while themobile device is in the screen locked state—step 4304; replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the generated applicationscreen dump of navigation application and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4306; activating a display of themobile device and rendering a portion of the application screen dump ofthe miming navigation application as the lock screen wallpaper on theactivated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state—step 4308; and wherein the portion of the applicationscreen dump used as lock screen wallpaper providing a glimpse into therunning navigation application on the mobile device in the screen lockedstate, without having to unlock the mobile device. In anotherembodiment, the present invention discloses an article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice to implement the method depicted in FIG. 43.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 44, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is about to enter ascreen locked state—step 4402; generating an application screen dump ofa navigation application running on the mobile device, the applicationscreen dump generated automatically by the mobile device just prior tothe mobile device being placed in the screen locked state—step 4404;placing the mobile device in the screen locked state and replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with a portion of the generatedapplication screen dump of navigation application and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4406; activating adisplay of the mobile device and rendering the portion of applicationscreen dump of the running navigation application as the lock screenwallpaper on the activated display of the mobile device which remains inthe screen locked state—step 4408; and wherein the portion ofapplication screen dump used as lock screen wallpaper providing aglimpse into the running navigation application on the mobile device inthe screen locked state, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 44.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 45, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: identifying the mobile device is in a screenlocked state—step 4502; generating at least a first and secondnavigational images while the mobile device is in the screen lockedstate, the first navigational image associated with a first GPS locationand the second navigational image associated with a second GPSlocation—step 4504; identifying location of the mobile device asapproaching the first GPS location—step 4506; temporarily replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the first navigational imageassociated with the first GPS location and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4508; activating a display of themobile device for a first predetermined time period and rendering,during the first time period, the first navigational image as the lockscreen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile device whichremains in the screen locked state—step 4510; identifying location ofthe mobile device as approaching the second GPS location—step 4512;replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with the secondnavigational image associated with the second GPS location and leavingthe previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 4514; andactivating the display of the mobile device and rendering the secondnavigational image as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated displayof the mobile device which remains in the screen locked state—step 4516.In another embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 45.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 46, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: establishing a communication link with acomputer—step 4602; receiving a navigation image from the computer—step4604; identifying the mobile device is about to enter a screen lockedstate—step 4606; placing the mobile device in the screen locked stateand replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with thenavigation image and leaving the previously set home screen wallpaperunchanged—step 4608; activating a display of the mobile device andrendering the received navigation image as the lock screen wallpaper onthe activated display of the mobile device which remains in the screenlocked state—step 4610; and wherein the navigation image used as lockscreen wallpaper providing navigation information received from thecomputer on the display of the mobile device in the screen locked state,without having to unlock the mobile device. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 46. In one specificimplementation, the communication link is a short-range communicationlink like an RF communication link, an Infrared (IR) communication link,Bluetooth communication link, Near Field Communication (NFC) link, awireless personal area network (WPAN) communication link, etc.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 47, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: establishing a communication link with acomputer—step 4702; receiving at least a first navigation imageassociated with a first location and a second navigation imageassociated with a second location from the computer—step 4704; when themobile device is in a screen locked state and when the mobile device isnearby the first location, temporarily replacing lock screen wallpaperof the mobile device with the first navigation image and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged, and activating a displayof the mobile device and rendering the first navigation image as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 4706, and when the mobiledevice is in a screen locked state and when the mobile device is nearbythe second location temporarily replacing lock screen wallpaper of themobile device with the second navigation image and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged, and activating a displayof the mobile device and rendering the second navigation image as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile devicewhich remains in the screen locked state—step 4708; wherein the firstand second navigation images received from the computer used as lockscreen wallpaper provide navigation directions proximate to the firstand second locations, without having to unlock the mobile device. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 47. In onespecific implementation, the communication link is a short-rangecommunication link like an RF communication link, an Infrared (IR)communication link, Bluetooth communication link, Near FieldCommunication (NFC) link, a wireless personal area network (WPAN)communication link, etc.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 48, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: accessing a first image (e.g., the image may be anavigation image, an image depicting information associated with thefirst GPS location, an image depicting information with a location-basedservice associated with the first GPS location, an image of a reminderassociated with the first GPS location, etc.), the first imageassociated with a first GPS location—step 4802; identifying location ofthe mobile device as being within a first pre-determined radius of thefirst GPS location—step 4804; while the mobile device is within thefirst pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and while themobile device is in a screen locked state, temporarily replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the first image associatedwith the first GPS location and leaving the previously set home screenwallpaper unchanged—step 4806; while the mobile device is within thefirst pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and while themobile device is in the screen locked state, activating a display of themobile device (e.g., automatically activating the display of the mobiledevice for the first pre-determined time when the mobile device entersthe first pre-determined radius of the first GPS location while themobile device remains in the screen locked state, or receiving an input,such as a user input, that triggers the activation of the display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state) for a firstpre-determined time period and rendering, during the pre-determined timeperiod, the temporarily replaced image as the lock screen wallpaper onthe activated display of the mobile device—step 4808, and wherein thefirst image used as lock screen wallpaper provides a glimpse intoinformation associated with the first GPS location, without having tounlock the mobile device. Optionally, when the mobile device moves outof the first pre-determined radius the lock screen wallpaper may beupdated to the default set lock screen wallpaper (i.e., the previouslyset lock screen wallpaper). In another embodiment, the present inventiondiscloses an article of manufacture having non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising computer readable program codeexecutable by a processor in a mobile device to implement the methoddepicted in FIG. 48.

As noted in previous examples, this embodiment may also work with aplurality of images. For example, a second image and a third image maybe accessed, where both the second and third image are associated withthe first GPS location, where the first and second images aresuperimposed to form the first image associated with the first GPSlocation. Alternatively, transparency of at least one of the second orthird image may be varied, prior to such a superimposing step (see FIGS.55A-C), should the details of one of the images have to be emphasizedmore than the other. For example, if the second image need to beemphasized more than the third image (e.g., when a stored profile mayindicate the preference of a user, where the user had previouslyidentified that the third image details takes precedence over the secondimage details, so may want the preferred details shown more clearly in asuperposition scenario), the transparency with the second image may becontrolled (e.g., by varying the transparency associated with thebackground of the second image) (see FIGS. 55A-C) where the details ofthe second image is more opaque and less transparent with respect to itsbackground, while the transparency associated with the third image maybe adjusted such that its details are less opaque and more transparentwith respect to its background, so when the second and third images aresuperimposed, the details of the second image is seen more clearly as itis rendered against a less transparent and more opaque background.Similarly, more than two images may be used as well, where thetransparency of at least one of the images may be controlled forpreferential viewing of the details of the at least one image. As above,each of the plurality of images may be any of the following: navigationimage, image depicting information associated with the first GPSlocation, image depicting information with a location-based serviceassociated with the first GPS location, or image of a reminderassociated with the first GPS location.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 49A, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: accessing a first image (these images may beaccessed either from a nearby device via short-range communication (likeRF, IR, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.) or from another device over a network suchas a cellular network or the Internet) (e.g., the image may be anavigation image, an image depicting information associated with thefirst GPS location, an image depicting information with a location-basedservice associated with the first GPS location, an image of a reminderassociated with the first GPS location, etc.), the first imageassociated with a first GPS location—step 4902; identifying location ofthe mobile device as being within a first pre-determined radius of thefirst GPS location—step 4904; while the mobile device is within thefirst pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and while themobile device is in a screen locked state, temporarily replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with the first image associatedwith the first GPS location and leaving the previously set home screenwallpaper unchanged—step 4906; while the mobile device is within thefirst pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and while themobile device is in the screen locked state, activating a display of themobile device (e.g., automatically activating the display of the mobiledevice for the first pre-determined time when the mobile device entersthe first pre-determined radius of the first GPS location while themobile device remains in the screen locked state, or receiving an input,such as a user input, that triggers the activation of the display of themobile device which remains in the screen locked state) for a firstpre-determined time period and rendering, during the pre-determined timeperiod, the temporarily replaced image as the lock screen wallpaper onthe activated display of the mobile device—step 4908, and wherein thefirst image used as lock screen wallpaper provides a glimpse intoinformation associated with the first GPS location, without having tounlock the mobile device; accessing a second image, the second imageassociated with a second GPS location—step 4909; identifying location ofthe mobile device as being within a second pre-determined radius of thesecond GPS location—step 4910, and when the mobile device is within thesecond pre-determined radius of the second GPS location and when themobile device is in a screen locked state, temporarily replacing lockscreen wallpaper with the second image associated with the second GPSlocation and leaving the previously set home screen wallpaperunchanged—step 4912; while the mobile device is within the secondpre-determined radius of the second GPS location and while the mobiledevice is in the screen locked state, activating the display of themobile device for a second pre-determined time period and rendering,during the second pre-determined time period, the second image as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile device—step4914, and wherein the second image used as lock screen wallpaperprovides a glimpse into information associated with the second GPSlocation, without having to unlock the mobile device. FIG. 49B depicts amap showing the two GPS locations and their associated pre-determinedradiuses as per the embodiment depicted in FIG. 49A. The first timeperiod may be equal to the second time period and the firstpre-determined radius is equal to the second pre-determined radius. Asabove, the first and second images may be any of the following:navigation image, image depicting information associated with the firstor second GPS location, image depicting information with alocation-based service associated with the first or second GPS location,image of a reminder associated with the first or second GPS location. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 49A.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 50A, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: receiving a first image and second image (suchimages may be received via a short range communication, such as, but notlimited to, RF, IR, NFC, or Bluetooth communications with anotherdevice), both the first image and second image associated with a firstGPS location—step 5002; identifying location of the mobile device asbeing within a first pre-determined radius of the first GPS location andoutside a second pre-determined radius of the first GPS location—step5004; while the mobile device is within the first pre-determined radiusof the first GPS location and outside the second pre-determined radiusof the first GPS location and while the mobile device is in a screenlocked state, temporarily replacing the previously set lock screenwallpaper with the first image associated with the first GPS locationand leaving the previously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step5006; while the mobile device is within the first pre-determined radiusof the first GPS location and outside the second pre-determined radiusof the first GPS location and while the mobile device is in the screenlocked state, activating a display of the mobile device for a firstpre-determined time period and rendering, during the firstpre-determined time period, the first image as the lock screen wallpaperon the activated display of the mobile device—step 5008; identifyinglocation of the mobile device as being within a first pre-determinedradius of the first GPS location and inside a second pre-determinedradius of the first GPS location—step 5010; while the mobile device iswithin the first pre-determined radius of the first GPS location andinside the second pre-determined radius of the first GPS location andwhile the mobile device is in a screen locked state, temporarilyreplacing lock screen wallpaper with the second image associated withthe first GPS location and leaving the previously set home screenwallpaper unchanged—step 5012; while the mobile device is within thefirst pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and inside thesecond pre-determined radius of the first GPS location and while themobile device is in the screen locked state, activating a display of themobile device for a second pre-determined time period and rendering,during the second pre-determined time period, the second image as thelock screen wallpaper on the activated display of the mobile device—step5014; wherein the first image and second image used as lock screenwallpaper at different distances from the first GPS location providevarying levels of information associated with the first GPS location,without having to unlock the mobile device. FIG. 50B depicts a mapshowing the GPS location and the two associated pre-determined radiusesas per the embodiment depicted in FIG. 50A. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 50A.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 51A, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: accessing a first image and second image (theseimages may be accessed either from a nearby device via short-rangecommunication (like RF, IR, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.) or from another deviceover a network such as a cellular network or the Internet), both thefirst image and second image associated with a first GPS location—step5102; identifying location of the mobile device as being within a firstpre-determined radius of the first GPS location and outside a secondpre-determined radius of the first GPS location—step 5104; while themobile device is within the first pre-determined radius of the first GPSlocation and outside the second pre-determined radius of the first GPSlocation and while the mobile device is in a screen locked state,temporarily replacing the previously set lock screen wallpaper with thefirst image associated with the first GPS location and leaving thepreviously set home screen wallpaper unchanged—step 5106; while themobile device is within the first pre-determined radius of the first GPSlocation and outside the second pre-determined radius of the first GPSlocation and while the mobile device is in the screen locked state,activating a display of the mobile device for a first pre-determinedtime period and rendering, during the first pre-determined time period,the first image as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display ofthe mobile device—step 5108; identifying location of the mobile deviceas being within a first pre-determined radius of the first GPS locationand inside a second pre-determined radius of the first GPS location—step5110; while the mobile device is within the first pre-determined radiusof the first GPS location and inside the second pre-determined radius ofthe first GPS location and while the mobile device is in a screen lockedstate, temporarily replacing lock screen wallpaper with the second imageassociated with the first GPS location and leaving the previously sethome screen wallpaper unchanged—step 5112; while the mobile device iswithin the first pre-determined radius of the first GPS location andinside the second pre-determined radius of the first GPS location andwhile the mobile device is in the screen locked state, activating adisplay of the mobile device for a second pre-determined time period andrendering, during the second pre-determined time period, the secondimage as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display of themobile device—step 5114; wherein the first image and second image usedas lock screen wallpaper at different distances from the first GPSlocation provides varying levels of information associated with thefirst GPS location, without having to unlock the mobile device. FIG. 51Bdepicts a map showing the GPS location and the two associatedpre-determined radiuses as per the embodiment depicted in FIG. 51A. Inanother embodiment, the present invention discloses an article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device to implement the method depicted in FIG. 51A.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 52A, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: accessing a first image and second image (theseimages may be accessed either from a nearby device via short-rangecommunication (like RF, IR, NFC, Bluetooth, etc.) or from another deviceover a network such as a cellular network or the Internet), the firstimage associated with a first GPS location and the second imageassociated with a second GPS location—step 5202; identifying location ofthe mobile device as being in an overlapping region between a firstpre-determined radius of the first GPS location and a secondpre-determined radius of the second GPS location—step 5204; varyingtransparency of at least one of the first or second image, andsuperimposing resulting first and second images to form a third image(see FIGS. 55A-C) associated with the overlapping region—step 5205;while the mobile device is within the overlapping region and while themobile device is in a screen locked state, temporarily replacing thepreviously set lock screen wallpaper with a third image associated withthe overlapping region and leaving the previously set home screenwallpaper unchanged—step 5206; while the mobile device is within theoverlapping region and while the mobile device is in the screen lockedstate, activating a display of the mobile device for a firstpre-determined time period and rendering, during the firstpre-determined time period, the third image as the lock screen wallpaperon the activated display of the mobile device, wherein the third imageused as lock screen wallpaper provides information associated with boththe first and second GPS location, without having to unlock the mobiledevice—step 5208. FIG. 52B depicts a map showing the two GPS locations,the two associated pre-determined radiuses, and the overlap region asper the embodiment depicted in FIG. 52A. In another embodiment, thepresent invention discloses an article of manufacture havingnon-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computerreadable program code executable by a processor in a mobile device toimplement the method depicted in FIG. 52A.

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 53, the present inventiondiscloses a method as implemented in a mobile device having a previouslyset lock screen wallpaper and a previously set home screen wallpaper,the method comprising: receiving a first image and second image (suchimages may be received via a short range communication, such as, but notlimited to, RF, IR, NFC, or Bluetooth communications with anotherdevice), the first image associated with a first GPS location and thesecond image associated with a second GPS location—step 5302;identifying location of the mobile device as being in an overlappingregion between a first pre-determined radius of the first GPS locationand a second pre-determined radius of the second GPS location—step 5304;varying transparency of at least one of the first or second image, andsuperimposing resulting first and second images to form a third image(see FIGS. 55A-C) associated with the overlapping region; while themobile device is within the overlapping region and while the mobiledevice is in a screen locked state, temporarily replacing the previouslyset lock screen wallpaper with a third image associated with theoverlapping region and leaving the previously set home screen wallpaperunchanged—step 5306; while the mobile device is within the overlappingregion and while the mobile device is in the screen locked state,activating a display of the mobile device for a first pre-determinedtime period and rendering, during the first pre-determined time period,the third image as the lock screen wallpaper on the activated display ofthe mobile device—step 5308, wherein the third image used as lock screenwallpaper provides information associated with both the first and secondGPS location, without having to unlock the mobile device. FIG. 53Bdepicts a map showing the two GPS locations, the two associatedpre-determined radiuses, and the overlap region as per the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 53A. In another embodiment, the present inventiondiscloses an article of manufacture having non-transitory computerreadable storage medium comprising computer readable program codeexecutable by a processor in a mobile device to implement the methoddepicted in FIG. 53A.

The logical operations of the various embodiments are implemented as:(1) a sequence of computer implemented steps, operations, or proceduresrunning on a programmable circuit within a general use computer, (2) asequence of computer implemented steps, operations, or proceduresrunning on a specific-use programmable circuit; and/or (3)interconnected machine modules or program engines within theprogrammable circuits. The system 5400 shown in FIG. 54 can practice allor part of the recited methods, can be a part of the recited systems,and/or can operate according to instructions in the recitednon-transitory computer-readable storage media. With reference to FIG.54, an exemplary system includes a general-purpose computing device5400, including a processing unit (e.g., CPU) 5402 and a system bus 5426that couples various system components including the system memory suchas read only memory (ROM) 5416 and random access memory (RAM) 5412 tothe processing unit 5402. Other system memory 5414 may be available foruse as well. It can be appreciated that the invention may operate on acomputing device with more than one processing unit 5402 or on a groupor cluster of computing devices networked together to provide greaterprocessing capability. A processing unit 5420 can include a generalpurpose CPU controlled by software as well as a special-purposeprocessor.

The computing device 5400 further includes storage devices such as astorage device 5404 such as, but not limited to, a magnetic disk drive,an optical disk drive, tape drive or the like. The storage device 5404may be connected to the system bus 5426 by a drive interface. The drivesand the associated computer readable media provide nonvolatile storageof computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules andother data for the computing device 5400. In one aspect, a hardwaremodule that performs a particular function includes the softwarecomponent stored in a tangible computer-readable medium in connectionwith the necessary hardware components, such as the CPU, bus, display,and so forth, to carry out the function. The basic components are knownto those of skill in the art and appropriate variations are contemplateddepending on the type of device, such as whether the device is a small,handheld computing device, a desktop computer, or a computer server.

Although the exemplary environment described herein employs the harddisk, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that othertypes of computer readable media which can store data that areaccessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memorycards, digital versatile disks, cartridges, random access memories(RAMs), read only memory (ROM), a cable or wireless signal containing abit stream and the like, may also be used in the exemplary operatingenvironment.

To enable user interaction with the computing device 5400, an inputdevice 5420 represents any number of input mechanisms, such as amicrophone for speech, a touch-sensitive screen for gesture or graphicalinput, keyboard, mouse, motion input, speech and so forth. The outputdevice 5422 can also be one or more of a number of output mechanismsknown to those of skill in the art. In some instances, multimodalsystems enable a user to provide multiple types of input to communicatewith the computing device 5400. The communications interface 5424generally governs and manages the user input and system output. There isno restriction on the invention operating on any particular hardwarearrangement and therefore the basic features here may easily besubstituted for improved hardware or firmware arrangements as they aredeveloped.

Logical operations can be implemented as modules configured to controlthe processor 5402 to perform particular functions according to theprogramming of the module. FIG. 54 also illustrates three modules MOD 15406, MOD 2 5408 and MOD 3 5410, which are modules controlling theprocessor 5402 to perform particular steps or a series of steps. Thesemodules may be stored on the storage device 5404 and loaded into RAM5412 or memory 5414 at runtime or may be stored as would be known in theart in other computer-readable memory locations.

Modules MOD 1 5406, MOD 2 5408 and MOD 3 5410 may, for example, bemodules controlling the processor 5402 to perform the following thesteps of the various methods described above.

The above-described features and applications can be implemented assoftware processes that are specified as a set of instructions recordedon a computer readable storage medium (also referred to as computerreadable medium). When these instructions are executed by one or moreprocessing unit(s) (e.g., one or more processors, cores of processors,or other processing units), they cause the processing unit(s) to performthe actions indicated in the instructions. Embodiments within the scopeof the present disclosure may also include tangible and/ornon-transitory computer-readable storage media for carrying or havingcomputer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Suchnon-transitory computer-readable storage media can be any availablemedia that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purposecomputer, including the functional design of any special purposeprocessor. By way of example, and not limitation, such non-transitorycomputer-readable media can include flash memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM,CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carryor store desired program code means in the form of computer-executableinstructions, data structures, or processor chip design. The computerreadable media does not include carrier waves and electronic signalspassing wirelessly or over wired connections.

Computer-executable instructions include, for example, instructions anddata which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function orgroup of functions. Computer-executable instructions also includeprogram modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone or networkenvironments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs,components, data structures, objects, and the functions inherent in thedesign of special-purpose processors, etc. that perform particular tasksor implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executableinstructions, associated data structures, and program modules representexamples of the program code means for executing steps of the methodsdisclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executableinstructions or associated data structures represents examples ofcorresponding acts for implementing the functions described in suchsteps.

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory ora random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer area processor for performing or executing instructions and one or morememory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computerwill also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from ortransfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storingdata, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. However,a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer can beembedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, aGlobal Positioning System (GPS) receiver, or a portable storage device(e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive), to name just a few.

In this specification, the term “software” is meant to include firmwareresiding in read-only memory or applications stored in magnetic storageor flash storage, for example, a solid-state drive, which can be readinto memory for processing by a processor. Also, in someimplementations, multiple software technologies can be implemented assub-parts of a larger program while remaining distinct softwaretechnologies. In some implementations, multiple software technologiescan also be implemented as separate programs. Finally, any combinationof separate programs that together implement a software technologydescribed here is within the scope of the subject technology. In someimplementations, the software programs, when installed to operate on oneor more electronic systems, define one or more specific machineimplementations that execute and perform the operations of the softwareprograms.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, softwareapplication, script, or code) can be written in any form of programminglanguage, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative orprocedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as astand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, orother unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computerprogram may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. Aprogram can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programsor data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup languagedocument), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or inmultiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules,sub programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployedto be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are locatedat one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by acommunication network.

These functions described above can be implemented in digital electroniccircuitry, in computer software, firmware or hardware. The techniquescan be implemented using one or more computer program products.Programmable processors and computers can be included in or packaged asmobile devices. The processes and logic flows can be performed by one ormore programmable processors and by one or more programmable logiccircuitry. General and special purpose computing devices and storagedevices can be interconnected through communication networks.

Some implementations include electronic components, for examplemicroprocessors, storage and memory that store computer programinstructions in a machine-readable or computer-readable medium(alternatively referred to as computer-readable storage media,machine-readable media, or machine-readable storage media). Someexamples of such computer-readable media include RAM, ROM, read-onlycompact discs (CD-ROM), recordable compact discs (CD-R), rewritablecompact discs (CD-RW), read-only digital versatile discs (e.g., DVD-ROM,dual-layer DVD-ROM), a variety of recordable/rewritable DVDs (e.g.,DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, etc.), flash memory (e.g., SD cards, mini-SDcards, micro-SD cards, etc.), magnetic or solid state hard drives,read-only and recordable Blu-Ray® discs, ultra density optical discs,any other optical or magnetic media, and floppy disks. Thecomputer-readable media can store a computer program that is executableby at least one processing unit and includes sets of instructions forperforming various operations. Examples of computer programs or computercode include machine code, for example is produced by a compiler, andfiles including higher-level code that are executed by a computer, anelectronic component, or a microprocessor using an interpreter.

While the above discussion primarily refers to microprocessor ormulti-core processors that execute software, some implementations areperformed by one or more integrated circuits, for example applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field programmable gate arrays(FPGAs). In some implementations, such integrated circuits executeinstructions that are stored on the circuit itself.

As used in this specification and any claims of this application, theterms “computer”, “server”, “processor”, and “memory” all refer toelectronic or other technological devices. These terms exclude people orgroups of people. For the purposes of the specification, the termsdisplay or displaying means displaying on an electronic device. As usedin this specification and any claims of this application, the terms“computer readable medium” and “computer readable media” are entirelyrestricted to tangible, physical objects that store information in aform that is readable by a computer. These terms exclude any wirelesssignals, wired download signals, and any other ephemeral signals.

To provide for interaction with a user, implementations of the subjectmatter described in this specification can be implemented on a computerhaving a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquidcrystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and akeyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by whichthe user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices canbe used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example,feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g.,visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input fromthe user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, ortactile input. In addition, a computer can interact with a user bysending documents to and receiving documents from a device that is usedby the user; for example, by sending web pages to a web browser on auser's client device in response to requests received from the webbrowser.

It is understood that any specific order or hierarchy of steps in theprocesses disclosed is an illustration of example approaches. Based upondesign preferences, it is understood that the specific order orhierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged, or that allillustrated steps be performed. Some of the steps may be performedsimultaneously. For example, in certain circumstances, multitasking andparallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation ofvarious system components illustrated above should not be understood asrequiring such separation, and it should be understood that thedescribed program components and systems can generally be integratedtogether in a single software product or packaged into multiple softwareproducts.

Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent, and thegeneric principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus,the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein,but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the languageclaims, where reference to an element in the singular is not intended tomean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “oneor more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refersto one or more. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include thefeminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headingsand subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limitthe subject technology.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way ofillustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope of thedisclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize variousmodifications and changes that may be made to the principles describedherein without following the example embodiments and applicationsillustrated and described herein, and without departing from the spiritand scope of the disclosure.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyinvention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions offeatures that may be specific to particular embodiments of particularinventions. Certain features that are described in this specification inthe context of separate embodiments can also be implemented incombination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features thatare described in the context of a single embodiment can also beimplemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitablesubcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above asacting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, oneor more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excisedfrom the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring that such operationsbe performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, orthat all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirableresults. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processingmay be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various systemcomponents in the embodiments described above should not be understoodas requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should beunderstood that the described program components and systems cangenerally be integrated together in a single software product orpackaged into multiple software products.

As noted above, particular embodiments of the subject matter have beendescribed, but other embodiments are within the scope of the followingclaims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performedin a different order and still achieve desirable results. As oneexample, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do notnecessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, toachieve desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking andparallel processing may be advantageous.

CONCLUSION

A system and method has been shown in the above embodiments foriteratively updating an image displayed over a lock screen to provide acontinuous glimpse into an application running in the background of themobile device that is in a screen locked state. While various preferredembodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood thatthere is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, butrather, it is intended to cover all modifications falling within thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.For example, the present invention should not be limited bysoftware/program, computing environment, or specific computing hardware.

1. An article of manufacture having non-transitory computer readablestorage medium comprising computer readable program code executable by aprocessor in a mobile device capable of running applications in aforeground or in a background, the non-transitory computer readablestorage medium comprising: (a) computer readable program code running anapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) computerreadable program code placing the mobile device in a screen locked stateand running the application in the background of the mobile device; (c)computer readable program code activating a display of the mobile devicewhile the mobile device remains in the screen locked state; (d) computerreadable program code rendering an image over a lock screen of themobile device, the image providing a glimpse into the applicationrunning in the background while the mobile device remains in the screenlocked state; and (e) computer readable program code iterativelyupdating the image over the lock screen wallpaper and providing acontinuous glimpse into the application running in the background of themobile device that is in the screen locked state, without having tounlock the mobile device.
 2. The article of manufacture of claim 1,wherein, each update in the iterative updating of (e) is done afterexpiration of a pre-determined time period and while the mobile deviceis still in the screen locked state.
 3. The article of manufacture ofclaim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumfurther comprises computer readable program code receiving an input, theinput triggering the activating of the display in (c) while the mobiledevice remains in the screen locked state.
 4. The article of manufactureof claim 3, wherein the input corresponds to an external button disposedon the mobile device being depressed to activate the display while themobile device remains in the screen locked state.
 5. The article ofmanufacture of claim 3, wherein the non-transitory computer readablestorage medium further comprises computer readable program code, uponunlocking the mobile device, exiting the screen locked state anddisplaying the application.
 6. The article of manufacture of claim 1,wherein the computer readable storage medium further comprises, prior to(b), computer readable program code identifying the mobile device isrunning another application in the foreground of the mobile device, withthe application in (a) now running in the background of the mobiledevice, wherein the application in (a) is not last run application inthe mobile device prior to entering the screen locked state.
 7. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the application in (a) is anyof the following: a notes application, a social media application, acalendar application, a browser application, a navigation application, avideo application, a calculator application, a digital book readerapplication, a gaming application, an email application, a stock marketapplication, or a weather application.
 8. The article of manufacture ofclaim 7, wherein the application in (a) is a navigation application. 9.The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is anyof the following: a mobile phone, a smartphone, a cellular phone, aportable media player, a tablet, a handheld gaming console, or apersonal navigational device.
 10. The article of manufacture of claim 9,wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.
 11. An article of manufacturehaving non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprisingcomputer readable program code executable by a processor in a mobiledevice capable of running applications in a foreground or in abackground, the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising: (a) computer readable program code running a firstapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) computerreadable program code running a second application in the foreground ofthe mobile device and running the first application in the background ofthe mobile device; (c) computer readable program code placing the mobiledevice in a screen locked state and running the first and secondapplications in the background of the mobile device; (d) computerreadable program code activating a display of the mobile device whilethe mobile device remains in the screen locked state; (e) computerreadable program code rendering an image over a lock screen of themobile device, the image providing a glimpse into the first applicationrunning in the background while the mobile device remains in the screenlocked state; and (f) computer readable program code iterativelyupdating the image over the lock screen wallpaper and providing, withouthaving to unlock the mobile device, a continuous glimpse into the firstapplication running in the background of the mobile device that is inthe screen locked state, even though the first application was not lastrun application.
 12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein,each update in the iterative updating of (f) is done after expiration ofa pre-determined time period and while the mobile device is still in thescreen locked state.
 13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, whereinthe non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprisescomputer readable program code receiving an input, the input triggeringthe activating of the display in (d) while the mobile device remains inthe screen locked state.
 14. The article of manufacture of claim 13,wherein the input corresponds to an external button disposed on themobile device being depressed to activate the display while the mobiledevice remains in the screen locked state.
 15. The article ofmanufacture of claim 13, wherein the non-transitory computer readablestorage medium further comprises computer readable program code, uponunlocking the mobile device, exiting the screen locked state anddisplaying the first application even though the first application wasnot last run application.
 17. The article of manufacture of claim 11,wherein the first application is any of the following: a notesapplication, a social media application, a calendar application, abrowser application, a navigation application, a video application, acalculator application, a digital book reader application, a gamingapplication, an email application, a stock market application, or aweather application.
 18. The article of manufacture of claim 11, whereinthe mobile device is any of the following: a mobile phone, a smartphone,a cellular phone, a portable media player, a tablet, a handheld gamingconsole, or a personal navigational device.
 19. An article ofmanufacture having non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising computer readable program code executable by a processor in amobile device capable of running applications in a foreground or in abackground, the non-transitory computer readable storage mediumcomprising: (a) computer readable program code running a navigationapplication in the foreground of the mobile device; (b) computerreadable program code running another application in the foreground ofthe mobile device and running the navigation application in thebackground of the mobile device; (c) computer readable program codeplacing the mobile device in a screen locked state and running thenavigation application and the another application in the background ofthe mobile device; (d) computer readable program code activating adisplay of the mobile device while the mobile device remains in thescreen locked state; (e) computer readable program code rendering animage over a lock screen of the mobile device, the image providing aglimpse into the navigation application running in the background whilethe mobile device remains in the screen locked state; and (f) computerreadable program code iteratively updating the image over the lockscreen wallpaper and providing, without having to unlock the mobiledevice, a continuous glimpse into the navigation application running inthe background of the mobile device that is in the screen locked state,even though the navigation application was not last run application. 20.The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the mobile device is anyof the following: a mobile phone, a smartphone, a cellular phone, aportable media player, a tablet, a handheld gaming console, or apersonal navigational device.